The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living

It has recently come to my attention that my life has pretty much gotten out of control. I seem to have things together, but from my perspective, I see that a lot of the “togetherness” is the result of duct tape type fixes. It is time, with the help of God, for me to get those things back under control.

Some of the areas that are out of control include:
Finances - My plan to get out of debt seems to have stalled big time
Organization - I don’t pick up after myself, I don’t file papers, I basically have slacked off big time.
Health - I do very little physical activity and eat a combination of good and bad foods
Work  - As the end of the school year approached, my attitude became extremely complacent toward band and school
Spiritual - I no longer have a regular prayer time or Bible Study plan

I have blamed all of these things on Del Rio, even saying that Del Rio causes me to be depressed.

While I would agree that being this far away from family and many of my friends is tough, I don’t think this is the real reason. I think the ultimate underlying source of my problems is my own neglect of the spiritual disciplines in my life.

So what happens next?
Well, the first and most important change happens in my heart:

I acknowledge that I have a problem, I have neglected God. I put on a good show at church and in public, but that’s all it is; a show. I sort of make-believe life.

“Wow, Wagner! You sure have things together!“

I wish it were so, but I know better than that. I am way off target in my own little private world. So it’s time to control that. It’s time to set things right again.

But you’ve said this all before, what’s different now?
Great question. I don’t know what’s different now. I just know that it’s different. I am embracing discipline. I am coming back to that place where I look forward to denying my flesh for a greater spiritual gain. I already have this sense of freedom that is so incredibly refreshing.

You may not see external changes, but hopefully you will be able to tell a difference in my countenance.

The summer has just begun. It is a time of incredible opportunity. It starts by cleaning my house out, throwing and giving stuff away, and just enjoying life again.

The Phone Call

Jesus asks, “what good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). As we look around the world today, we see so many people who spend so much time seeking to gain wealth, popularity, right relationships, perfect jobs, the best education, the fastest computer, the largest CD collection, or whatever else. I don’t know about you, but I for one am guilty of far too many of these inane pursuits. As Christians, are we mistakenly striving to gain the whole world only to end up forfeiting our very souls? Are our priorities misplaced?

Life seems to be going to well and then it comes. The dreaded phone call. Your roommate’s brother was diagnosed with cancer. Your grandfather is having emergency surgery. Your mom’s car was hit by a reckless driver. In a moment of time, our world can be turned upside down. In the light of these things, how important are worldly possessions? “’Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!’” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Solomon’s wisdom comes all too clearly into focus and the words of Jesus echo again in our minds. “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world …” How selfish and shortsighted we have become!
Selfishness is common to us all. Paul lists selfish ambitions among the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:20. Jeremiah reminds us that, “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9). So why must we wait to change until we get the phone call? We have a deep desire to change! Why must we wait? Even though we are ready, willing, and able to change, our body does not want to come along for the ride. Jesus told His disciples, “the spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). So often, we allow ourselves to be ruled by our sin nature rather than by the righteous standards of God’s Word. Must we always wait for the phone call?